Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> Files only on disk? Or on tape too? 

Obviously tape files were contiguous.  I must be misunderstanding what 
you're asking.

>>> Interesting. So the system actually "knows" where each field of a 
>>> record is then?
>>
>> Records were fixed size, so it was trivial to calculate.
> 
> OK. But does the system know where the *fields* in a record are? Or just 
> what size the records are?

You compiled it into the program. Often when they weren't actually fixed 
size, they were fixed size anyway and padded (like cards).  Or the size was 
stored in the header of the file.

> Yeah, I think the term "mainframe" is probably obsolete now. There are 
> probably more exact ways to describe what type of computer you mean.

Could be.  There's something clearly between "small" and "large" now.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Ada - the programming language trying to avoid
    you literally shooting yourself in the foot.

Post a reply to this message